Tag Archives: auctions

Tojeiro California

Posted on by
Reply

1959 Tojeiro California

Offered by Russo & Steele | Monterey, California | August 18-20, 2016

Photo - Russo & Steele

Photo – Russo & Steele

John Tojeiro was born in Portugal but lived in England for most of his life. He began designing the racing cars that bore his name in the 1950s. They often used the best engines of the day, be they from Jaguar, MG or whatever.

But in the late 1950s and into the 1960s the mid-engined race car revolution was well under way and Tojeiro knew it. By the early 60s he was building mid-engined cars. This California Barchetta is one of the last front-engined Tojeiro race cars. The engine in this case is a 5.0-liter straight-six from GMC.

The body on this car was designed by Cavendish Morton and was set in the style of the Ferrari California Spyder (hence the car’s name). But it was never completed in the day and was put aside. Much, much later, the head of the Tojeiro Registry acquired the car and had the body completed to original specifications. So what we end up with is a very pretty and functional vintage racer that has never really been raced. It’s fresh and clean and can be yours at Russo & Steele in Monterey this August.

Update: Not sold.

Ferrari 268 SP

Posted on by
Reply

1962 Ferrari 268 SP by Fantuzzi

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Monterey, California | August 19-20, 2016

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby's

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Here’s a car you aren’t likely to get another shot at purchasing. With only two examples produced (of this chassis/engine combo), the 268 SP hails from an era of dramatic change in the racing world. Right about 1960, there was a drastic shift in thought: if we mount the engine behind the driver, maybe these things will handle better.

So Ferrari, and their sports prototype cars, adopted this new philosophy. The SP line of cars debuted in 1961 and only six of this lineage would be built. Only two of them were fitted with this 265 horsepower, 2.6-liter V-8. The awesome body by Fantuzzi is similar to other Ferrari racers of the day, namely the 250 TR 61.

This, car #3 or chassis #0798, has a factory competition history consisting of:

  • 1962 24 Hours of Le Mans – 19th, DNF (with Giancarlo Baghetti and Ludovico Scarfiotti)

After Le Mans, the car came to America to race as part of Luigi Chinetti’s NART team. As part of this team, its competition history includes:

  • 1962 Bahamas Speed Weeks, Nassau Trophy Race – 8th (with Lorenzo Bandini)
  • 1963 12 Hours of Sebring – 34th (with John Fulp and Harry Heuer)
  • 1963 Bahamas Speed Weeks, Nassau Trophy Race – 5th (with Fulp)

It ran a few more races through 1966 and then sat until 1969 when it went to a collector in France. It was restored during his ownership and the current owner acquired the car approximately 20 years ago. It’s a fairly famous car that has been shown at the most exclusive events worldwide. With only six built – and being one of only two built with this engine – this Ferrari is one those seriously collectible 1960s racers. Huge money is one the table here. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

Update: Sold, RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2021, $7,705,000.

July 2016 Auction Highlights

Posted on by
Reply

First up, from June, Auctions America’s Santa Monica sale. Our featured Clenet Series II sold for $28,000. The top sale was one of the 1990s best supercars, a 1995 Ferrari F50 that went for $1,952,500. Click here for complete results.

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

Next we move on to Mecum in Denver where this 1963 Ford Galaxie 500XL R-Code was the top sale at $155,000.

Photo - Mecum

Photo – Mecum

We featured an Oldsmobile Bravada from this sale and it failed to sell with a high bid of $11,000. Click here for complete results.

Artcurial’s Le Mans Classic sale was this month and because of poor time management on our part, we were only able to feature one car, a Delahaye 148L, that sold for $276,265. The top seller was this bewinged 1977 Porsche 935 Group 5 race car for $1,436,510. Full results can be found here.

Photo - Artcurial

Photo – Artcurial

H&H Classics were at Chateau Impney in July. We featured three cars from this sale and the top seller among them was the Costin-Nathan for $105,855, blowing its estimate out of the water. The top seller overall was this 1990 Ferrari Testarossa for $140,384.

Photo - H&H Classics

Photo – H&H Classics

Our other feature cars both sold, with the Connaught bringing $104,397 and the Saxon $14,953. Click here for more.

And finally, Brightwells’ July sale. This 1966 Citroen DS 21 Chapron Decapotable was the top seller at $73,886.

Photo - Brightwells

Photo – Brightwells

The one-off Silurian Tourer that we featured sold for $29,026 and the older of the two Albion trucks sold, bringing $27,707 (the other failed to meet its reserve). Click here for complete results.

Duesenberg J-451

Posted on by
Reply

1931 Duesenberg Model J Tourster by Derham

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Monterey, California | August 19-20, 2016

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby's

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The Derham Tourster is one of a few body styles of the Model J Duesenberg that are highly sought after (as if there is a Duesenberg that isn’t). Only eight were built originally and over the past few years, two others have come up for auction (with a further two that sported recreated Tourster bodies also coming up for sale).

The great thing about the Tourster is that its second windshield actually rolls up and down instead of flipping up and out of the way like most Dual Cowl Phaetons. Derham, of Rosemont, Pennsylvania, was the sole constructor of this beautiful body. The engine underneath is the standard Model J 6.9-liter straight-eight making 265 horsepower.

This car was sold new to Chicago, where it remained with a variety of owners until departing the city in 1948. It has had even more owners since, with the current owner residing overseas. The restoration is older but it shows well and the color combination is brilliant. The average price for the last two Toursters to have sold is about a million dollars, so look for a similar amount here. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $1,320,000.

Pajero Evo

Posted on by
1

1997 Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution

Offered by Silverstone Auctions | Silverstone, U.K. | July 30, 2016

Photo - Silverstone Auctions

Photo – Silverstone Auctions

The Paris-Dakar Rally is one of the premier off-road racing events in the world. It’s one that has, for a long time, seen major manufacturer entries and participation. Mitsubishi, long a competitor in rally competition, was one of those manufacturers.

Homologation rules are in effect for a variety of series worldwide and Dakar is no different. Manufacturers, in order to maximize their chances, will build a race car and then build a “road car” variant (that is usually extreme in looks and performance… not to mention price) so that they can say to the event organizers: “Hey, we are entering the production class because our race car is obviously based on a road car.” It’s a little backwards, but this practice is responsible for some awesome road cars.

In 1997, Mitsubishi sold about 2,500 Pajero Evolution models to the public. They were essentially a Pajero SUV with a wild body kit and a 260 horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6. The interior is by Recaro. This is a pretty sporty SUV, considering it was built in 1997 and “sporty SUVs” weren’t really yet a thing. At any rate, it’s really cool – and a little bizarre. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $15,776.

Mini Scamp

Posted on by
Reply

1972 Scamp Mk I

Offered by H&H Classics | Castle Donington, U.K. | July 28, 2016

Photo - H&H Classics

Photo – H&H Classics

Mini Mokes are very popular, even to this day. Especially in Monaco, for some strange reason. But BMC stopped building the Moke in 1969 – their loss, as other companies sprouted up to build similar cars based on the popular and easy-to-find Mini.

One such company was Robert Mandry’s Scamp Motor Company (which is still around today). The Mk I Scamp went on sale in 1969 and was available through 1977. The cars were built using mostly Mini parts and the owners were responsible for some of the construction. This particular example uses a 1.1-liter straight-four.

Mk I production was about 200 per year – not a lot, but not nothing. There were dozens of other manufacturers doing similar tings, but Scamp’s are fairly unique. This version is a pickup with some kind of canvas-covered mid-section. It’s interesting. This one, described as being in “good condition,” should bring between $4,000-$5,250. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

1920 Detroit Electric

Posted on by
Reply

1920 Detroit Electric Model 82 Brougham

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Plymouth, Michigan | July 30, 2016

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby's

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Some things come back around and right now, thanks to Tesla, electric cars are hot. But back in the early days of the automobile, when different propulsion systems were fighting for supremacy, electric cars were fairly popular as well.

Part of the reason for their popularity was the ease with which one could operate such a car. There was no crank, no warming up. You just got in and went. This car is powered by a 4.3 horsepower electric motor.

Only 95 of this type were made, making it quite rare today. Remarkably, this example has known ownership history from new and was originally purchased in Canada. Today, it should bring between $60,000-$80,000. Click here for more info and here for more from RM Sotheby’s.

Update: Sold $66,000.

Arrows A10

Posted on by
Reply

1987 Arrows-Megatron A10

Offered by Silverstone Auctions | Silverstone, U.K. | July 28, 2016

Photo - Silverstone Auctions

Photo – Silverstone Auctions

Arrows, the long-running British Formula One Team, first competed in 1978. 1987 wasn’t a banner year, as they had more retirements than finishes. The 1987 A10 chassis was actually designed by Ross Brawn, he of considerable recent F1 fame. The A10 was deemed “good enough” that, for 1988, it was slightly revised and renamed to the A10B.

For 1987, Arrows’ former engine supplier and partner, BMW, packed up and left. Arrows managed to get some sponsorship money from USF&G and BMW finally agreed to supply engines, so long as they were branded as Megatron (which sounds like the name of a Transformer). That engine is a turbocharged 1.5-liter straight-four that made over 1,000 horsepower in qualifying and 850 in race trim.

This was Derek Warwick’s car for 1987 and it’s best finish was 5th at the British Grand Prix that year. The current owner acquired the car in 2002 and it has been used at 1-2 historic events a year for the past 10 years. It was demonstrated at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed and should bring between $130,000-$155,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

June 2016 Auction Highlights, Pt. II

Posted on by
Reply

Back for more from June, but first Coys’ Techno Classica sale. The Grosser Werkmeister failed to sell, but this 1968 Ferrari 330 GTC was the top sale at $801,500.

Photo - Coys

Photo – Coys

Our other three feature cars from this sale all sold, with the Ghia 1500GT bringing the most at $71,900. The Citroen Mehari sold for $26,250 and the GAZ Chaika $18,380. Check out full results here.

Osenat held a sale in June and we featured two interesting cars. The Unic failed to sell, but the Amilcar Compound exceeded its estimate (just barely), selling for $18,725. The top sale was this beautiful 1939 Delahaye 135M Cabriolet by Chapron for $361,130. Complete results are located here.

Photo - Osenat

Photo – Osenat

Next up we have Brightwells’ Modern Classics sale. While we weren’t able to feature anything from this sale, we can report that the top seller was this 1993 Ferrari 348 Spider for approximately $46,525. The 348 is currently the best value in the Ferrari world. Get ’em while you can. Full results are here.

Photo - Brightwells

Photo – Brightwells

On to Bonhams’ Goodwood Festival of Speed Sale. A previously-featured H.E. Sports sold here for $131,338. The Bugatti Monoposto and McLaren Can-Am both failed to sell. The MG B Prototype sold for $83,762 and the top sale was this 1949 Aston Martin DB Team Car for $901,473.

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Other feature car sales included the Lea-Francis Hyper for $210,135 and the HWM Formula 2 for $225,003. Check here for more results.

And finally for this rundown, Barrett-Jackson’s Northeast Sale. Our featured Lamborghini Diablo sold for $236,500. The top seller was this 1969 Chevrolet Corvette L88 Coupe for $624,800. Click here for complete results.

Photo - Barrett-Jackson

Photo – Barrett-Jackson

The First Cobra

Posted on by
1

1962 Shelby Cobra 260

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Monterey, California | August 19-20, 2016

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby's

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

This is the very first Shelby Cobra built and it has been owned by Shelby since day one, which makes this an incredible opportunity to acquire one of the most important cars around. So here’s the story: in 1961, Carroll Shelby asked AC Cars of England if they would build him an AC Ace that could house a V-8 engine.

And, luckily for car people everywhere, they did. Shelby managed to source a V-8 from Ford, as Chevrolet wasn’t willing to play ball (something General Motors probably doesn’t want to dwell on all these years later). The engine was a 260 cubic inch (4.2 liter) V-8 from Ford that makes 260 horsepower. Shelby stuffed it in the front of this beautiful English roadster and the rest is history.

This car, CSX 2000, was used as a factory test car, demonstrator, and show car used to get people interested and sell some cars. Carroll Shelby, always the marketer, repainted the car between showings to make people think that production was well under way. It worked, even if a second Cobra wouldn’t be built for another seven months.

It is mostly original (other than the paint) and has been used on and off over the years and has been shown recently at Pebble Beach, among many, many other places. It’s as famous as Cobras come and is being offered from the Carroll Hall Shelby Trust. Only 75 Cobras were fitted with the 260 engine, but this is the one to have. In fact, of all Cobras, this is the one to have. The bidding will quickly shoot into the millions, but whoever comes out on top will have something truly special. Click here for more info and here for more from RM Sotheby’s.

Update: Sold $13,750,000.